criminalmindsfandomcom-20200223-history
Paul Kenneth Keller
|birth place = Everett, Washington |death date = |death place = |pathology = Serial Arsonist Unclassified Killer |mo = arson using handy flammable materials |victims = 3 killed 32-76 victimless arsons |status = Incarcerated |job = Advertising salesman |time = ???-September 22, 1992|charges = 32 arsons|sentence = 174 years |capture = March 1993}} Paul Kenneth Keller is a serial arsonist responsible for several fires that caused millions of dollars worth of property damage and the deaths of three people. He has claimed to have committed as many as 76 in total. History Born January 6th, 1966 to George and Margaret Keller, Paul was a hyperactive child, and displayed a fascination with fire at a young age. according to his father, he even torched a vacant house next to his own when he was only eight or nine years old. This was one of many nuisance fires he set when he was young. He continued even after being lectured by firemen about the hazards it entailed. He received medication for his hyperactivity as a child (it was described as an undiagnosed case of Attention Deficit Disorder), but stopped taking them and refused personal counseling. Fascinated with their lights and sirens, he liked chasing after firetrucks and aid cars. Later in life, he even started riding along with friends who were firefighters. Using his own scanner to listen for emergency broadcasts, he would race the fire-trucks to the scene. At the time, his family thought he was getting a good outlet for his excess energy. Keller had a religious upbringing and was a regular churchgoer to the First Baptist Church in Marysville and also went to a Christian high school for his whole education. Sometime in the late 80's he worked as a bookkeeper at an Everett firm, but was fired when his desk mysteriously caught fire. He later started working for his father's advertising agency. After he divorced and filed for bankruptcy, Keller became more troubled and started abusing drugs and alcohol. During the period between August of 1992 and February of 1993, Keller committed dozens of arsons. Only one of them, that of the Four Freedoms Retirement Home in Seattle in September of 1992, is known to have caused fatalities, the victims being three elderly residents. At first, it was attributed to a misplaced cigarette, but the investigators later deemed it arson when it turned out to have originated in multiple locations. Keller was arrested in March of 1993. First he was convicted of thirty-two arsons (he claimed to have committed another forty-four) and sentenced to 75 years in prison. In 1994, he was sentenced to another 99 years for the Four Freedoms fire. He continues to serve his sentence. Modus Operandi Keller is said to have found targets through his job at his father's advertising agency. Using handy materials, including wood, cardboard boxes, trash, and even lawn chairs and straw mats, as fuel, he would start the fires with a cigarette lighter. Like many arsonists, he would stay behind after setting the fires to watch the firefighters work. Known Victims *Unspecified dates: At least 32 victimless arsons *September 22, 1992: Three killed in the Four Freedoms Retirement Home fire. They are: **Bertha Nelson, 93 **Mary Harriet Dorris, 77 **Adeline Gertrude Stockness, 70 *Note: Keller claimed to have started as many as 76 arson fires. On Criminal Minds *Season Two **"Ashes and Dust" - Keller was mentioned when it was believed that Vincent Stiles, the unsub of focus, used his job, as well as a company car, to select where he would commit his arsons, much like Keller. Also, Stiles was driven to commit arsons due to the divorce of his wife, exactly like Keller. Sources *Wikipedia's article about Keller *''Seattle Times'': **02/07/93 article **02/08/03 article **04/05/93 article *[http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/1994/Mar/11/keller-sentenced-to-99-years-for-fire-deaths/ Kitsap Sun article about Keller] Category:Real People Category:Real World Criminals Category:Real Serial Arsonists Category:Real Life Killers Category:Incarcerated Real World Criminals Category:Real Criminals Referenced in Season Two